The coronavirus is spread all over the world and even in stock exchanges. On Monday, the stock markets collapsed all over the world, and no company is able today to accurately calculate the damage. The automotive industry is particularly affected. In China, home of the epidemic, 5,000 cars were sold in two weeks at the beginning of February, compared to 60,000 over the same period in 2019.

It is now a risk for the world economy. The spread of the coronavirus, a respiratory disease discovered in China three months ago and which has killed nearly 2,700 people, is driving the financial markets. The stock markets collapsed Monday almost everywhere in the world, that of Paris having lost almost 4%, of the unprecedented since the vote on the Brexit in 2016. In early February, that of Shanghai fell to its lowest level since 2015 Because China is a large exporting country, and therefore suffers cruelly from this epidemic at the economic level.

>> READ ALSO - MAP - Coronavirus: update on the epidemic country by country

"There is going to be a supply problem"

Particularly in the automotive industry, which is still less than 50% of its pre-crisis production. 5,000 cars were sold in the first fortnight of February in China against 60,000 last year over the same period. In this sector, but also in others, we are running out of parts. "There will be a supply problem (...) A small piece may be missing which is part of the puzzle which is assembled to make the final product", warns Etienne Sebaux, partner at AT Kearney.

The electronics sector is also affected, but also the textile sector. Since the products do not leave the country, production runs at only 10% of its capacity. Freight boats are therefore blocked at the quay. In total, more than 30 vessels making the China-Mediterranean link have stayed in China in recent days, or nearly 50% of the planned departures. Ditto for air freight or passenger transport, where 90% of traffic has been canceled.

>> Find all of Europe 1's editorial newspapers in replay and podcast here

"We could have problems with the stock market authorities"

A situation that embarrasses many companies. Of the twenty or so Galeries Lafayette stores contacted by Europe 1, no manager wanted to speak. And for good reason: they are currently doing the accounts, but no one is able to correctly quantify the extent of the damage. "And even less with the spread of the virus in Europe," said a manager, off. Companies listed on the stock exchange do not want to take risks and worry investors even more. "If we underestimate the possible losses, we could have problems with the stock market authorities", justifies an executive of a big company.